Monday, March 31, 2014

In the sand-covered queendom of Cavan, the goddess once saved a young Kaliope’s life, preventing the mercury her father attempted to hide in her blood from reaching her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it, but the silver streaks swirling faintly beneath her skin are a constant reminder that she’s different.

When nineteen-year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress. In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena.

Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.

New Adult Dark Fantasy: Intended for readers 17 years of age and older.

The moon goddess has taken up residency within Prince Caben, darkening his mind and soul. Now he hunts the very women he sacrificed his life to save, his conflicting desires for love and power raging a battle within him. Kaliope possesses the key to setting Bale free, and Caben will stop at nothing to see his goddess restored. Even if that means destroying the kingdom he’s sworn to protect, and the infuriating woman who torments his thoughts.

Kaliope, now the leader to the newly formed Nactue Guard, has vowed to save Caben. But with a traitor lurking among her people, and powers she’s unable to fully control, Kaliope’s mission becomes shrouded with doubt. Her new role as watcher over Caben’s kingdom brings a burden she’s unable to bear alone, and appointing the right person in charge of the prince’s affairs has turned a kingdom against the Nactue leader. Saving her stubborn, willful prince from the darkness overtaking him will be the battle of her life, and she needs people she can trust by her side. But bad blood between members of the Nactue obscure Kaliope’s journey, while her feelings for Caben cloud her judgment.

When the time comes to do what she must to destroy the goddess of chaos, will she be able to if it means losing Caben forever?

Book two of the Goddess Wars is told in dual point of view from Kaliope and Caben. New Adult Dark Fantasy, intended for readers 17 years of age and older.

Available from:

OF DARKNESS AND CROWNS: A Goddess Wars Novel, Book 2
Caben’s POV
Excerpt

I block her blow and come at her from above, forcing her to deflect my attacks at an awkward angle for her petite stature. My smile spreads. “We can dance like this all night, but I’d rather our time be spent more usefully.” I lunge and slash, making it tiring for her to defend herself. “Take me to the goddess relic, and I’ll let you and your empress live…for the time being.” I grunt as she snakes a cheap shot to my wrist.
She’s not amused by the slight damage she’s inflicted. Rather, as her gaze traps my broken skin, she looks mortified. Everything I’ve waited for is falling apart. I can’t have her die at the end of my sword while mourning the loss of her prince. She needs anger. Wrath. Disgust.
Those are the emotions that will drive her to face me full-on and not hold back.
I could end this now—slice her open and turn my back on her forever. Find the relic easily for myself and what else I came here for and then be gone. But something inside me refuses to accept a simple defeat. Not from the woman who has tormented my thoughts with weakness and regret.
She’s the last thing in this world that threatens my power. And I refuse to destroy her in this state, only to have her haunt me from the grave. I need a worthy foe—a vicious opponent—to defeat.
Not a heartbroken girl.
“This won’t do.” I growl as I back her against the wall, my swings becoming sloppy with my rage. As if she knows what she’s doing to me, she smiles. The first one I’ve seen in so long…and she’s beautiful. Heart stopping. It infuriates me.
I shout and thrust my sword, knocking hers aside as I move into her personal space. Realization washes over her face, and she quickly brings up her arm to guard against my fist. I stop short, my balled hand an inch from her cheek.
My breaths are hot and quick as they leave my mouth in heavy puffs. My gaze flicks over Kal’s shocked face, her trembling lips. And my fingers uncurl. I press closer and trace my fingertips along her soft skin…
Kill her.
With a jerk of my head, I hush the dark goddess’s voice. Then I seize Kal’s wrist and slam the back of her hand against the stone wall. She’s as stubborn as ever, keeping a tight grip on her weapon. I knock her arm against the wall again. And again, until she releases a cry and her sword clatters to the floor.
I drop my own and grab the arm still held up as a shield, then pin both her wrists to the wall. “Look at me,” I order, my tone giving away my frustration. Impatience grips my nerves, and I drop one hand to grasp her face, forcing her eyes to meet mine.
As she drinks me in hungrily, like she’s only just now truly seeing me, something stirs beneath my skin. The white power crackles over my hands, healing the wound on my wrist, and Kal’s eyes widen.
The last time she encountered my power, when she was trapped by the glowing tentacles, she suffered tremendous pain, I’m sure. And though something inside me is screaming to unleash that power on her now, I rein it in. I don’t want our dance to end so soon.
As the power recedes, leaving my skin unblemished, I caress her face. Run my palm and fingers along her soft flesh. Down her jawline. All the while, her eyes hold me, ensnaring me. This is her power—her spell over me. It’s the reason why she must die.
I have to be free of her.
Yet, I can’t help wanting to inhale her, taste her, quench my thirst of her one last time. And maybe that will even spark the fury within her to fight. Bring the old Kal back, the one who would rather put a blade through a man’s heart than be victim to his charms.
Pushing my body against hers, I revel in the feel of her curves, and know that I’m lying to myself. It’s completely selfish what I’m craving, but the lie is all too tempting. Just like her.
I lower my head and place my lips to her neck, breathe her in. Then, trailing them along her slick skin, my tongue flicking out to taste the mix of sweetness and salt, I move next to her ear. Her breaths deepen, pressing her sultry chest to mine.
“Let me in, Kal,” I whisper, loving how my words cause her to shiver. “It’s what you want.”
Pulling back, I lock gazes with her. The desire in her eyes urges my lips to trap hers, and I move in. Wanting to caress them as much as the yearning demands to hurt them.
“Caben,” she says, low and breathy. I halt my descent. She bites down on her lip, and my arousal hardens painfully against my pants.
“What, love?”
A slow smile curls her lips. “Fuck off.” Then she spits in my face.

About the Author

From an early age, Trisha Wolfe
dreamed up fantasy worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself.
Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using
her fantasy worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself. For more
information on Trisha Wolfe and her works, please visit: www.TrishaWolfe.com

Sunday, March 30, 2014

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

This Last Week @ Books, Books The Magical FruitWeek of March 17 – March 23

Next Week @ Books, Books The Magical Fruit Week of March 31 – April 6
Book Blitz (Reading Addiction Blog Tours) : The Three Kitties That Saved My Life by Michael Meyer
Book Blitz (YA Bound) : The Goddess Wars series by Trisha Wolfe

An Adult Fantasy Romance based loosely on the Princess on the Glass Hill

The Golden Apple

by Michelle Diener

Adult Fantasy/SciFi

March 24, 2014

Kayla's world has been turned upside-down...

Her father has made her the prize in a deadly, impossible tournament, and Kayla has retaliated in the only way she knows how; by choosing her champion beforehand. But taking control of the outcome changes the game completely, and when the real reason behind the strange test becomes apparent, Kayla realizes not just her life, but her entire kingdom is at stake.

Rane's honor is torn in two...

In order to save his brother, Rane will do whatever he has to--including deceive and betray a princess. He knew nothing about this tournament would be easy, but when it turns into a deeper, far more sinister game, Rane is forced to see it through to the end, or leave his brother at the mercy of their enemy.

Now their fates are entwined, and they must venture into the deep, dark forest together...

Kayla and Rane are bound to one another by an enchantment and Kayla's actions. But the sorcerer forcing them to do his will may have miscalculated, because no-one comes out of the Great Forest unchanged. No-one.

The Golden Apple is loosely based on the Norwegian fairy tale The Princess on the Glass Hill. The original tale is more about the hero than the heroine, and it is a very straightforward quest story, with the hero becoming more and more accomplished, until at last he succeeds against the odds. But there were a few things in this fairy tale that stood out for me and made me take notice. The first is the very unusual situation of the king holding a contest for his daughter’s hand by putting her on top of a glass hill with a golden apple in her lap. Knights from all over are invited to race a horse up the smooth glass sides of the mountain and the one who can pluck the golden apple from the princess's lap wins her hand and is heir to the kingdom. As usual in fairy tales, there is no explanation as to how the king came by a glass mountain, but I wondered where he got it, and that sparked the starting point of the story. It is really the inciting incident that starts the story off, rather than the focus of the story, as it was in the fairy tale.

Secondly, the crux of the tale, for me, is that the hero cannot win the princess's hand without help from the princess herself. That part of the original tale is one or two lines long, but for me, it's fascinating. The feminine power determining and choosing which masculine power will prevail. This really made me interested, because the princess doesn't just sit there and take whoever it is manages to accomplish the (impossible) task set by her father, but actively chooses who it is she wants to win and helps them. I wanted to write a story about the consequences of her taking that power and using it and The Golden Apple was the result -- far, far more heroine-centric than the original, and I really had fun with it.

- Michelle Diener

LAST CALL FOR REVIEWERS!

Are you interested in fantasy romance?

Do you love fairy tale retellings?

Have you read Michelle Diener and enjoyed her work in the past?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you can request a review copy of The Golden Apple! The Golden Apple is up for review by invitation only on NetGalley. Reviewers with book review sites can apply for a limited number of pre-approved copies. Book reviewers who post their review on their review site, Amazon, and Goodreads can enter a Rafflecopter draw to win one of ten copies of any Michelle Diener book of their choice, or a $10 Amazon gift card. (Instructions in sign-up form.)

Michelle Diener writes historical fiction. Her Susanna Horenbout & John Parker series, set in the court of Henry VIII, includes In a Treacherous Court, Keeper of the King's Secrets and In Defense of the Queen.

Michelle's other historical novels include Daughter of the Sky, The Emperor's Conspiracy and Banquet of Lies (loosely connected to The Emperor's Conspiracy).

Michelle's first fantasy novel, Mistress of the Wind, is set for a December 23, 2013, release.

Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

We are so happy to be able to bring you the cover for Faith Andrews' BACK TO YOU! BACK TO YOU is a novella in Faith Andrews' Dreams Series and releases April 29th!!

This cover was created by Regina Wamba of Mae I Design & Photography.

BACK TO YOU Synopsis:

Sometimes dreams aren’t meant to be chased. Sometimes forevers change with one regret. But when it’s worth the fight—we always wind up back where we belong. Mia and Declan have struggled through infidelity, guilt, and betrayal. Declan wasn’t too proud to lay his heart on the line and show Mia that she is his everything, but can these two find a way to get past all the hurt, to heal old wounds, and get back to good?

I’ll do all I have to do to find my way back to you.

About Faith Andrews:

Faith Andrews lives in New York where she is happily married to her high school sweetheart. They have two beautiful daughters and a furry Yorkie son, Rocco. If she isn't listening to Mumford & Sons or busy being a Dance Mom, her nose is in a book or the laptop. She's a sucker for a happily ever after and believes her characters are out there living one somewhere.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

BOOK INFORMATION:
GIRL LOST by Nazarea Andrews
Coming May 1st, 2014
Contemporary Romance

BLURB:

Northern was supposed to be a fresh start—a place where people didn’t know who I was or how I had spent years in and out of mental institutes. People didn't know about my parents death or the island no one heard of. But when Peter sits next to me in lit class, I can’t stop the memories, and I don’t want to. He looks too much like the boy from the island, and despite my best intentions, coaxes my secrets from me.

He’s gorgeous, irresistible, a little mad, and completely lost—we are a pair of broken cogs in a world neither of us truly fits into. And he listens when I talk, about the past and the terrifying future. He is somehow gentle and fierce, heartbreaking in his devotion and savage in his defense.

When Belle, his best friend, shows up, pale and lovely and sick, Peter pulls away from me, a startling withdrawal. It’s a relationship that scares and confuses me. She is at times warm and friendly, and other times is violent and unpredictable.

Peter says that he wants me, but refuses to let himself get close. And there are secrets, surrounding both of us, that border on nightmares. As the memories close in, as Belle gets sicker and more violent, I’m torn between what is true and what I believe, and what this magical boy knows about my mysterious past.

*Suitable for 17+. A romantic contemporary retelling of the boy who never grew up.

Excerpt:
I shrug. "Because I can't help but trust you. Even though it's stupid and I have no good reason for it--I want to trust you. I want you to be someone I can trust." I open my mouth, to tell him about the boy, about why it is so important to me. Why I should stay away from him, and why I can't seem to.
Peter speaks first. "I don't know who your father is. I don't know why you want to run from your past. But the thing is, Gwen, I don't care. I want to be part of now. I'll fight tooth and nail to be part of now."
"What if now is temporary?" I ask, thinking about my aunt and my tenuous grasp on sanity and all the reasons I should step away from Peter.
"Then we enjoy what we have," he murmurs. I shudder as his voice wraps around me, as warm as the hand curving around my neck. He makes a low noise, and lifts me, until I'm sitting in the circle of his crossed legs. Pressed against him. I can feel his heartbeat through his shirt, the unsteady pounding. His fingers are still pressed against my hips, still holding onto me despite having me where he wants.
I should move back, put distance between us, so he knows that this isn’t ok. I sit still and silent in his arms and wait for the chiding voice, telling me it’s wrong.
The voice that has drown out every thought and feeling, every time a boy has touched me.
But it’s silent, oddly absent—maybe it is as charmed by Peter’s appearance as I am.
“What is Lane, to you?” he asks, breaking my thoughts.
I shrug, looking at the pulse point pounding in his throat. “A friend.”
“I don’t want you near him.” He says.
There is a part of me, slight but there, that is annoyed by his pronouncement. But the bigger part is smirking, leaning in so that my lips tickle along his neck. Peter goes very still, as I whisper, a hairs breath from his skin, “Are you jealous?”
His voice is low, gravelly, “Yes. Fuck, yes I am. I don’t want any man near you—I hate Micah for being your brother. I want you with me, always.”

------About Author:

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Sixteen-year-old Andi is tired of being a second-class sibling to perfect sister Laina. There in Laina's shadow, Andi's only noticeable feature is her pretty awesome hair. And even that is eclipsed by Laina's perfect everything else.

When Andi’s crush asks her to fix him up with Laina, Andi decides enough is enough and devises a twelve-step program to wrangle the spotlight away from Laina. After all, great hair must count for something.

Step 1: Admit she’s powerless to change her perfect sister, and accept that her life really, really sucks. OK, maybe that's two steps in one.

Step 4: Make a list of her good qualities besides great hair. There have got to be at least three good qualities, right?

Step 7: Demand attention for more than just her shortcomings, and break out of her shell. Easier said that done, but worth the effort in the long-run.

When a stolen kiss from her crush ends in disaster, Andi finds that her prince isn’t as charming as she'd hoped, and realizes she may need a new program--perhaps with less steps!

As cracks in Laina’s flawless façade begin to show, the sisters work together to find a spotlight big enough for both to shine.

About the Author

As the second of eight children and the mother of four, Veronica Bartles is no stranger to the ups and downs of sibling relationships. (She was sandwiched between the gorgeous-and-insanely-popular older sister and the too-adorable-for-words younger sister.) She uses this insight to write stories about siblings who mostly love each other, even while they’re driving one another crazy. When she isn’t writing or getting lost in the pages of her newest favorite book, Veronica enjoys knitting fabulous bags and jewelry out of recycled plastic bags and old VHS tapes, sky diving (though she hasn’t actually tried that yet), and inventing the world’s most delectable cookie recipes. TWELVE STEPS is Veronica Bartles's first novel.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Sydney
Rye is coming to Audio and we need your help picking the narrator!

Emily
Kimelman's “Sydney Rye” series features a strong female
protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. It is recommended for the
18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up
for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good
mystery!

Haven’t
read Sydney Rye yet? Download the first book, UNLEASHED, for free on
Amazon, iTunes, B&N, or Kobo and see how she sounds in your head
then vote for the best narrator!

Voting
enters you to win all sorts of great prizes including Amazon gift
cards, signed books, and the finished Audio book! Add to your chances
of winning by joining Emily's email list, liking her Facebook page,
or telling your friends about the contest.

Here
are your choices:

Emily:

Bio:

Emily
Strong is an actor, voiceover talent, and first time filmmaker.
As a native of Michigan, she is a nature-lover at heart but has the
mind of a city girl and moved to Chicago nearly three years ago
because she wasn't smart enough to go somewhere warmer. She
takes full advantage of what the city has to offer by training at
legendary places like The Second City and eating lots and lots of
ethnic food (will travel all the way across the city to Pilsen for
the best tacos!). Her love of reading was the catalyst for her
adventurous spirit and the reason why she is always stoked to tell
stories in their many different forms.

You
can visit her at www.emilystrong.net

Erin:

Bio:

Erin
has narrated over 500 audio books including "The Hunger Games"
trilogy for The National Library Services/Library Of Congress,
"A State Of Wonder," The Garden Of The Beasts," "Anna
Karenina," "Ferdinand The Bull, and "Madeline."

Sonja:

Sonja
has two loves: acting and reading. Narrating audiobooks is her
absolute passion. She has logged over 600 hours recording textbooks
with an organization called Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic,
and is currently in the process of recording a kids'
action-fantasy-adventure novel, a steamy and mysterious paranormal
romance, and a non-fiction about writing. She loves nothing more than
bringing vivid worlds and unique characters to life. When she's not
recording, Sonja can be found onstage, traipsing around Brooklyn, or
entertaining children with a variety of dubious accents.

Erica:

Bio:

Erica
Newhouse is a film, televesion and theater actor living in New York
City. She is a graduate of The Juilliard School.

Prize
Details

Every
vote, like, share, or sign up is an entry for the "grand
prizes"

One
person will win Signed copies of all 5 books

One
person will win a $30 Amazon or B&N gift card

Four
other winners will win paperback copies of UNLEASHED

Anyone
who votes + signs up for Emily’s email list + likes Emily’s
FaceBook page gets a copy of the audio book when it's completed!

More
about UNLEASHED:

UNLEASHED is
the first book in Emily Kimelman's best selling Sydney Rye series of
mysteries.

When
the series begins Sydney Rye is named Joy Humbolt. She does not like
people telling her what to do, so it comes as no surprise that she
was just fired from her last job. When she buys Charlene Miller's
dog-walking business on Manhattan's exclusive upper east side, it
seems like the perfect fit: Quiet environment, minimal contact with
people.

But
then one of her clients turns up dead, and Charlene disappears.
Rumors say Charlene was having an affair with the victim--and of
course, everyone assumes Joy must know where she is. Joy begins to
look into the crime, first out of curiosity then out of anger when
there is another murder and threats start to come her way.

When
police detective Mulberry is assigned to the case, Joy finds a
kindred spirit--cynical and none-too-fond of the human race. As they
dig deep into the secrets of Manhattan's elite, they not only get
closer to the killer but also to a point of no return. One last
murder sends Joy Humbolt hurtling over the edge. Her only chance of
survival is to become Sydney Rye.

The
Rest of The Sydney Rye Series:

DEATH
IN THE DARK (A
Sydney Rye Novella, #2)

INSATIABLE
(A Sydney Rye Novel, #3)

STRINGS
OF GLASS (A
Sydney Rye Novel, #4)

THE
DEVIL’S BREATH (A
Sydney Rye Novel, #5) Coming April 2014

Emily
Kimelman Biography

Emily
Kimelman is the author of the best selling “Sydney Rye” series of
mystery novels including UNLEASHED, DEATH IN THE DARK, INSATIABLE,
STRINGS OF GLASS and the forthcoming THE DEVIL’S BREATH. Emily
lives with her husband, Sean Gilvey, and their dog, Kinsey Millhone
“Pup Detective”, on a trawler docked in the Hudson Valley during
the summer. She spends her winters traveling to where ever the next
Sydney Rye Novel takes place. Right now she is in Costa Rica working
on Sydney Rye #6.

Friday, March 21, 2014

It can happen in a flash. One minute
she’s kissing her boyfriend, the next she’s lost in the woods. Sixteen-year-old
Ellie Cox is losing time. It started out small…forgetting a drive home or a
conversation with a friend. But her blackouts are getting worse, more difficult
to disguise as forgetfulness. When Ellie goes missing for three days, waking up
in the apartment of a mysterious guy—a guy who is definitely not her boyfriend,
her life starts to spiral out of control.

Perched on the edge of insanity, with horrific
memories of her childhood leaking in, Ellie struggles to put together the
pieces of what she’s lost—starting
with the name haunting her, Gwen. Heartbreakingly beautiful, this
poignant story follows one girl’s harrowing journey to finding out who she
really is.

About the Author

Brooklyn Skye grew up in a small town where she quickly realized writing was an escape from small town life. Really, she’s just your average awkward girl who’s obsessed with words. Her Best-Selling New Adult debut, STRIPPED, is out NOW! Represented by Bree Ogden of D4EO Literary Agency.